Bhati: Snail Slurping Champ
by NoRatCat
Summary: Bhati the bat eared fox competes against her longtime friend Timon in a sport honored by those who lived in the oasis: Snail Slurping! Based on the 2019 film.


Bhati could swear that her vision was blurring. The sound of continuous slurping filled her ears, and not just from her, but from Timon. The meerkat was looking the same condition as her. Opposite to both them were large piles of snail shells. Bhati blearily gazed at the snail in front of her. It lay there, slowly sliding away. Perhaps it knew it's intended fate? Another snail lay in front of Timon doing very much the same. Bhati wasn't sure how much her stomach could take? She had eaten so much, and although she had gorged herself on bugs many times in the past, she had really pushed her limit. She just wanted to flop down belly up and let herself digest.

"Come on Mom! You can do it!"

And that alone was her inspiration and drive. Her family watched behind her with eager eyes. Well, the kids were eager, Jengo just looked worried. Still, she couldn't let her audience down.

Grabbing hold of the snail, she recoiled slightly and slurped it up right out of it's shell. Bhati let out a huge burp before setting down the shell with a triumphant smirk upon her face. Timon likewise held his snail up, but in mere seconds, he collapsed on his back while Pumbaa went to attend to him.

"Mom did it! She won!" Mosi cheered.

That alone made Bhati's smirk turn into a smile. "Timon my boy, that was fun. We will have to do this again sometime." Bhati said.

Timon managed a small but tired, "Sure."

Bhati got herself up but soon collapsed upon the ground. "Jengo!" She cried.

Jengo and the kids quickly walked over, "Yeah dear?"

"Honey...I need a little help here." Said Bhati.

"Are you alright Mommy?" Ashi asked, a slight worry creeping into her voice.

Bhati picked up on that, "Nothing to worry about sweetheart, Mommy is just having a bit of trouble moving under her own power."

"All right, just grab hold and lift." Jengo said lowering himself.

Bhati reached up with her paw and pulled herself upon her husband's back. Jengo lifted himself in kind and started to walk, Bhati leaning on his body and walking alongside him. The kids quickly scampered up to their parents.

As they walked, Bhati let out a low moan. "Man...I...am...stuffed." She said before letting out another burp.

Jengo let out a sigh. "You really overdid it dear."

"Hey I had to protect my title!" Bhati declared.

Suddenly, she felt a prod at her belly. "Wow. Mom! I didn't know you could fit so much in your belly!"

Bhati's grinned at her son's impressed eye. "Hey I've got plenty of talents."

At that moment, she felt a pang in her gut. She could feel it working over time. That and if another creature saw her, they would probably think she was expecting a second litter of cubs.

"Don't you have a tummy ache Mom?" Ashi asked.

"Nah! Your old Ma was born and bred to take punishment." Bhati proudly remarked.

"When I grow up, I want to be a snail slurping champ like you!" Mosi proclaimed.

"Absolutely not!" Jengo decreed. "There is no pride in acting like a glutton."

"What?!" Bhati suddenly exclaimed. "First off honey, I am not a glutton, I am a hedonist. There is a clear difference."

"Oh? Like what?" Jengo asked.

"Well for one thing, if I were a glutton, I would do this every day, and I'd probably look like a furry hippo." Bhati grinned as that line and mental image provoked a giggle out of her children.

Jengo on the other hand, let out another sigh. "You know I worry when you do things like this."

"Oh come on Jengo. I'm a little overstuffed, but fine." Bhati reassured.

"Yeah, but I don't want my wife to die from a ruptured stomach." Jengo said worridly.

Both Mosi and Asha let out collective gasps.

"Don't worry kids. Your father is just being a big old worry wart." Bhati said with a reassuring grin. "But he does have a point. Snail slurping is the big game. Not for little kids."

"Hey I'm plenty grown up!" Mosi argued.

"Yeah so am I!" Asha argued as well.

Bhati chuckled at her children's eagerness. "Trust me. You two of plenty of growing to go."

Both children pouted, almost prompting Bhati to tussle their heads. If not for her overstuffed condition, doing such an action would have been appropriate.

"Still, good as I am, no one can beat King Simba." Bhati admitted.

Mosi and Asha looked up, their interest clearly piqued. "Really?" They both said in unison.

"Yep. I mean he couldn't do it so well when he was a cub, but when he grew, he became a champ. I swear he can out slurp me any day." Bhati recalled so many times Simba had reigned in as the champ. Of course this was due to him being a larger creature, but still, he had the stamina and the stomach.

"Wait? You knew King Simba when he was a cub?" Mosi asked.

"Yeah. He was a cute little thing. And Timon and Pumbaa made sure he didn't eat any of us." Bhati remarked.

"And you were grown up when he was little right?" Asha asked.

Bhati felt some apprehension, but answered, "Yeah?"

Mosi and Asha looked to one another before looking up at their mother.

"Wow Mom. You must be really old." Mosi said.

Bhati's ear's perked up, and her tail stood erect. "Old!? Old!? I am not old!"

Jengo let out a chuckle. "I don't know honey. When I first met you, your fur had some gray in it."

"I'm not old. I'll have you all know I may have been an adult when the king was a cub, but I was a "young" adult!"

"Relax honey I'm messing with you. Besides. No matter what age you are, I'll love you all the same." Jengo said giving a small reassuring push.

Bhati grumbled to herself while her kids peppered with giggles. But even then, she found herself giggling too.

"Oh Jengo. Never change." Bhati said placing her head against her mate's.

And so the little family continued their trek home. Bhati's plan for the rest for the day was to drift off to sleep and digest. And the sweetest part? She would be surrounded by her loved ones.


End file.
